Journal box lid



' June 16, 1953y D. D. BRYANT lJOURNAL BOX LID 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledNov. 28, 1950 1N VENTOR J i@ Aww Filed Nov. 28, 1950 June 16, 1953 D. D.BRYANT JOURNAL BOX LID l @dan a X BY I 2 sheet-s-sheet 2 zNvENT'oRATTORNEYS Patented June 16, 1953 UNITED STATES *EN T OFFICE .JOURNAL B0X121D Donald 1). Bryant, Huntir,retin.11,:1W.V Va.

ApplicatismNovember 28, 1950, Serial No,"19 7j,997

-17- -(lnims. 1 Th-is invention -is a novel `journal-ibex lid,.:andtheprincip'al -objectthereof is-to provideia lockseal lid which willdispense :with theVv necessity Jof using coiled springs, but whichi'willopenea'sily and- Will lock fitself shut,4 will lsealthe rough cast faceof the opening Aof the journal box, willt anystandardbulkcar door orianystandard journalibox, willdbe absolutely dust and moisture proof, willnot vibrate, and Ican be more easily applied than-*other types of lidsnow'in use.

'iThe present linvention -is an improvement upon the'flock-s'eal vlidshown and describedin:my Urs. Let-tersPatents No. 2,481,076 datedSeptember 6, '1949;1No- 24,498,245 dated-'February 21, .1950 ;7 .and No.2,501,494 dated March "21, 1950.

`y.All :locomotive ,tenders, passenger cars :and :freight carsin..usev'ininrailroad :.'and'other rail transportation systems have a removablefjo'urnal brasslor bearing inthe journalibox `which. is :kept

lubricated byepa'cking orA other suitable'material tov'preve.ntl-generation of heat or-friction. between .the journal andbearing. Each journalbox'with :its packing :is closedon its vi-nnerendby a;dust.- guard1'seal, whileits outer lend "is .closedcbyaIjournallfbox lid.

jtfisnecessary to' form' the 1lidfso Lthat same can be readily opened iand closedfor packingnand fjournal .bearing inspection at any time, Zand,to repack orsetiu'p or'readjust ,thelspacking toits.proper.level,.and:torell the journal :box vlwith oil.

fnflid; to fbe' eflicient, should beA opened easily and; shouldIcompletely seal :the :roughcastfface of :the 5 Ejournal flbox 4laroundlthe opening, which face .zisl noti machined. `Moreoverpthe 'lid shouldnotyibrate, :as lthis would ,cause :undue wear-gon the;`lid,-zand thecastfface. rIt should, moreover, remain Vmoisture-prooffand ,dust-tightat times.

- The boxlidsiasatpresent'used dosnotgtproperly nor :tight-ly'. againstthe opening inthe. ljour- :na'l box, the 4faceY of :which `has .been lcast but ynot machined, and hence do not make truacontactbetgween'thezournalf boxicastingi:andltheoinside of theappliedlid.'"lhusggdirt, moistureeand other* foreigrn :materiale is: lpermittedtos'enter the journalfboxbetweenftheziace of-id:he::box thelidtheforeign material contaminatingfthe packingrand dil, :thusmusings-excessive; journalbearing-wear. '@Myl new :andiinovelljournal'ibox :lidi .is designed to ,elirninate the" i above/iundesirable sconditions which :are :detrimental v-to equipment;.zalso[to elnninate :theaiexcessive.ifteorfpnll which isreduired toagpenlth'es presenta-type lidsrwliichzldepen-d uponopressure to'iiorceethe ldlshunithis :pressurelbeing:usually-exerted lby 'different typesoicoiled vspringsV-exertingfo-rce at -the outer :or

f .dinicult and .oftenI physically impossible for 4a.

man of .average strength toopen the same. Each box fzmustfibe .openedand inspected before :the #tra-inaileaives fits 'terminals andthe boxesarev often not inspected :because ofsexcessive: spring pressures.

Whenithezface of-the castingeis 'rough' cast, or

uneven, tha-lid cannotland zwillfnotlfit, regardless of said springpressure, the lid merelyy riding ion the vhighest point of'ithezcasting:andnot contact- .ingitheentireiaoa When such high pointiis worn,*duetofyibration and y:constant openingand :closing 4'of-thehoxgfor'inspection'thejidicloses partlyiunlderitsolosinglpressure.and;the.ningepinbecomes worn, also the casting lughole as well as'` the -lid hinge. n-Thus :.iby 'r :inherent defects gthe@present type lid allows dirt, abrasive, moisture, sandandl,otlor.fforeig'rielements pto enter linto -thefjournal box, especiallywhenitheztrain-issinfmotion. This iforeign material ffouls the. packingand oil, causing friction between the vbearing and jjournaland resultingin-undue wearfofwmoving parts,"thus causing unnecessary expense andlabor. This fgrictionzisoften theQa-use of hotgboxes Vtraindeilaysfncrail enta'causing fproperty loss, endangerzlgfth Vesgofrtraincrews andthe ,traveling In'thenorthernseoton of the AUniterlStateswsnowroftenqcoversthetops of the journal boxes:andgtheineedgris-#thenf1even;greater for' a loch-sealolid.

f-Bulkecars; whichfcarryierain, sugar,` feed,l and otherbul-kgrnaterial, u sigia'llyare ,provided with dQQis in their ,-topS, asmany'as ffour or` more doors bei: used, said .gdoors :beingysubstantially identical me nstructidn` to-:the'iront'end of aonrnalqboxagbut of larger. size, the doo-rs 'having ninge'lugsiandvspins. tiltllyflocll:'- seallidfinay also befiisednonfrsuchdoorswithout change, except for siam-at fexollldelsdirtfandfmoisture, toprevent vibra-tion, Vand to provide aotheradvantages similar to thoseabovestatedlwith respect .to fits ap- @lisation-to:,-iournalxboxes"'hesprinpalgobjects vof my present invention place automatically; thelid liner may be removed or replaced at any time; the pressure on thelid lis inserted downwardly from a small pin when the lid is closed andis held closed by maximum pressure on the lid when the lid is closed sothat it will seal the journal box face and will be dust andmoisture-proof even if the lug flats are Worn entirely out because ofthe fact that same does not utilize the hinge lug flats; the linersbeing preferably made of oil-resistant neoprene or the like, while thelid is made of steel and manufactured by stamping process. Also, afurther object is to provide a lid so designed that a minimum liftingforce may be applied thereto to initially open the lid, said forcediminishing to approximately zero when the lid is about half opened,whereupon the force increases and acts to snap the lid into openedposition upon further raising of the lidy said force maintaining saidlid in fully opened position. Also a further object is to provide a lidso designed that a minimum pulling force may be applied thereto toinitially close the lid, said force diminishing to approximately zerowhen the lid is about half closed, whereupon the force increases andacts to snap the lid closed upon further closing of the lid, said forcemaintaining the lid in fully closed position. '.:Irwill explain theinvention with reference to .the accompanying drawings, which illustrateone practical embodiment `thereof to enable others Afamiliar;lwiththeart to adopt and use the same; and will summarize in the claims thenovel featuresfof `construction, and novel combinations of parts-,sionwhichV protection is desired.

i: Inrs'aid drawings-:il -j- -fxFi'gxl `isa:verticalsectiorrthrough theouter endofz'astandard journalrbonshowing my novel lid?,includingtheiframef andi-cover; plate applied thereto; andzishowingthe:jlcover; plate ,im closed tion being' ftakenf ion. r the line e'. partsshown Fig. l. is ayiew. similartoFi' thecoverlplate in openposition-;-1' ,ig,.,Asis-,anffenlarged :side levatio of on thezrollerfcamse 1,-?

""ato planwiew fthe'cams annee curved resilient'spring` tonguetlcfFigsri and3-` f extendingfwitnirrtneiowerfendsofltneopening in the-i`journal `box J eandwhav-ing tits? free' lend e'nl Ygagingthelinnellower:curyedrwall ofi said Y ox J; sogas to'coniormgtogtheicastingthieknessandany;;irregularities;incastingformg'andwhereby the lower end of the frameI will be prevented from moving away from the lower portion of theopening of the box J.

At the upper end of the frame l is a pair of resilient hinge eyes lb,preferably formed of resilient metal bent to such shape that the axes ofthe eyes lb are normally slightly offset outwardly from the axes of thebore J2 of the hinge lug J whereby when the hinge pin 2 is passedthrough the eyes lb and through the bore J 2 of hinge lug J theV sheetmetal eyes lb will be deilected so as to forcibly pull the upper portionof the frame l towards and against the upper port of the opening in thejournal box J, the action of the eyes lb and the resilient tongue lathereby serving to tightly clamp the upper and lower ends of frame lagainst and across the opening in the journal box J.

In order that the hinge pin 2 may be entered from either side of thehinge lug J' and will lock itself in place, the eyes Ib of frame l arepreferably split as shown more particularly in Fig. 2, and the outerportions lbx `are crimped inwardly to engage annular grooves 2a in thepin 2 under the portions lb to prevent the pin 2 from normally shiftingaxially of the hinge bore J2.

As shown, the inner face of frame I is provided with a peripheral grooveIc (Figs. 1 land 3) adapted to hold therein a gasket 3 of substantialthickness, Ypreferably formed of oil-resistant neoprene or the like,adapted to contact squarely the lip around the opening of the journalbox J, so` as to form an eiective seal, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 3.Due to the hinges Ib, Ibm, and the tongue la, the gasket 3 is seatedfirmly at all times against the lip of the opening of the journal box J,to prevent passage of dust and moisture therepast.

At the upper end of frame l are a pair of spaced outwardly rolled eyesle adapted to receive a hinge pin 4 for a, cover plate 5. Cover plate 5is provided at its upper end with rolled eyes 5e (Figs. l, 2 and 3)adapted to engage the hinge Ipin 4, the outer ends of'the eyes 5e beingof reduced width and extending beyond the ends of;thei;pin 4, and beingflanged or bent over the ends gofpinli, after the latter has beeninserted in place; ito': hold pin 4 in such position. The c 'civerplatergasfshown more particularly in Figs. Ijf-"andg:iseofgsubstantiallythe same size and 'aieasasftheA-frarne; Lathe same having inturnedilaagesbaron: its ytop,,bottone-and sides, and havingfa,4 lari'geboniits :under iside of same shape butsinall-erthan-,theflangesmthe spacebetween the'rflangeibiiandzitheangesa being adapted tofholdutherebetweena-;gasket;=6.;of cile-resistantneoprene',.or-thelike,zwhichtprojectsl-fbeyorid.the anges 5a, 5b so asto seat squarely upon'zthe peripheral: face Y'ofy the: iframe. Ias'fshown; more particularly indi'ig; `1,tiprevententrance of dust andi'moi'sturebetween the coyeriplateif 5 cand the framejngi-"IJ s .F.,gtsi; f are.: J ilegi srAcrossrthewfront.Voficover plate.;5,i Yeshapedmetallic':p1ate 'l'the base? of which iis iriveted as att `to' l:coverV5, the; lower end. rof-.vtheiplate''lvhave ing ana extensiongla whichis`.onsetofromqzthe plane ofttheibase. il.; at.i'l.b,;1so :as`tofcoriform' with'the.contoureofntheouter ,face of.:I cover1v5;Extension 1a extends beyond the lower v'edgesof plate-5 arrditst-zlower;edge split .as at :.r'lcf-the outeiiiedge atfoneside ofthe-:split 'Ic'beingibent on an sare zinfone directoniasr- 'ats'lfle whilethe metal atlthe oppositezside ofzthersplit'slc is .rolled in 1theoppositedirectiorrfas; atl'lenlligsrfl. and 2; ell'hgtupper edge :ofcthe'baseuof fplatelr'l tere mnates somewhatgabovea;thepzhorizontal@centerline lof. the-cover platerfsand the .legs lfrand.' .'Ig are.; oifset.outwardlylofiftherbase'. Lv shown Vat Thrill/Figs.. land.Banditheilegseextend upwardly and outwardly ofthecover:51-.when:closed;to;a point:approximately:ioppositethethinge pin:2.:ofthe` journal box. Preferably 1 the .-sides .of .legs "lf,:ld-arelanged:toward-fthe cover. 5.for,. the majorv 4portions of ftheir.'.flength, as @indicated hat 'Iz' Vinrligs. land 13 .for :the purpose:..ofistiffening the said .legswithout :however preventing .samefromiiexing.

Mounted;=.upon .thai-rame I :fat: the upper Iiend thereof; areupwardly-.fandoutwardlycextending camsc;shownzmoresparticularly infFigs.4 and 5J-.thermale .,d'1ating:iiiangedv feet 29a: wnienare riyetedsasaatto :the .b aseapfr; t emingememhers. I In` l:of -frame 1,1 as shown.zinfligs. VV1--;,and;3, saidplugsfhaving bores 9b 4 thereirr;for-the-passage-:.therethroughpof hinge pin 54 Y:of-'fthe v:cover firthestuds'izt'hus serving'fas additional.' bearings forisaiddiinge pin..Therouterendsgo therstuds 19;:are;-slotted:zas rtati. 9c,fFig.15zandirollers.;L2r.are housed in the .slots andjjournaledon` pinsfzIf'the rollers I2-extending beyondgthef-.ends ofrthe cams Brian-dbeing .in constanticontact Vwiththe inner acesrof .the resilient: legs'If; 'Ig asishown in Figs. .'l'falld. l

@.Bypthe .above construction whenJ thev cover 5 .is rclosed; l.as inFig. 1, therollers tlf2-engage .the puter. portions rof 'the `legs 1f,',Ig, andwowing to thef're'si'liency rof .the -legs the-coverA 5fwill'fbe maintained bymaximumrspring pressure closed against-@the frame-'I. When Vopening the -cover fa` etoolior hook may readily be engagedwith @tho lower endof .the extensionz'la of'plate .l fand-libyxanupwardtand outward-.pullrthe cover 5 :will open, the flegs'f hf, 'jf'l'gyielding-fwhilewmaintaining-contact withithe rcarin-:rollers:QI 2,. .andthe closing :pressure decreasing Auntil the cover has K.-reacheda-substantiallyhalffopen position.' Upon 'further' upward-pull;on .the'fcoverfan:opening .-or :increasing I.pressure lwill'be-*fexertedby the legs f'IL-'lgcfonathe @rollers `I2i tof;cause .the.cover 5 :to

springi'open .into :position shown :in AFig .13; and

cover 5 will remain open in said position.

IMy lidzthereforeliis ,isof'idesigned'that a' lifting force mayy be:applied :thereto -tof' initially.A fcause openingffof .1the'cover,esaid:force x.diminishing to .approximately zero zwhenfthef coverzis aboutihalf open, while upon furtherxraisingv.` of :the-'lidthe foci-.ceincreases andacts :to rsnap .theicover .into -fiillyop'ened iposition',fsaidnforee maintaining'the 4cover 5in #fully 4openedgzposition; alsoapulling force :may be. :applied .to f vthe .open-cover toX initiallycause fclosingzof 4the cover;saideforcediminishing to approximately Zerowhen thevcover fis-rabout :half closeldyfwhereupon. the force increasesand facts -tojy snap :the cover closed upon further closingmovementeofrthefcover;said force maintaining' the cover' inzfullyfolose'd position.

By fthe above construction, whenthepartsare in the position showne inFigg 41,'the.eyes'fIb-of frameV I fandztongue-fla will securely hold theframe I against or in contact with the lip around the Yfopeningin .theouter end .ofithe :journal box J. At the-same time-theagasket.6..of..the cover plate 5 w`ill'be maintained infirm engagement withtheouter peripheral vfacefof .the framel lbv means jof the hinge -eyesfyfS'e'fand the rollers I2. When, however, the-handle 'Ial is Vpulledoutwardly, thel -coverH -plate '-15 lfswing upward-ly and upon`reacl-iing its A`half open position will snap into fully open positionin which same is disposed at an angle substantially normal to theplane-of frame I, .asshown'in-Fig, to .permit .thej ourn-al box to beserviced Without necessitat- .ingthdoperator holding theV cover D1atef5in open position.

:By the above construction,a journalbox lid .isprovided' which is muchlighter in weight than thejpresent type lids; `also a journal box isprovided which does not use the usual hinge lug iiats. to hold the coverplate in either open or closed; position. The gasket Ii may be removedor replaced at any time. cover-,plate 5 is kinserted downwardly from thesmall pin d-when the cover plate is closed, and .Will be: forcedtightlyshut at .the bottomby spring action of .therollers I2 eng-aging the re-`silientllegs 'blgvof the cover 5.

:The :journal boxlid willseal the journal box face -so .as to maintainsame dust and moistureproof-.fevenif the hinge lug flats of the journalbox are 'worn entirely away, since my arrangement A,doesrnotfusethesehingelugats on the journal :box casting although the coverplate 5 opensand v .closesinqthe conventional manner. The `gaskets Brand-6 Vmay beofoil-resistant neoprene or .the like, while the cover may be of steel andmay be manufactured vreadily by a stamping process.

.I do'rnot limit myV invention to the exact form shown in the drawings,for obviously changes may be made therein within the scope of theclaims.

l'; claim: 1

.-1. 1in `combination with' a journal box or the like, having -a bottomwall sloping upwardly and outwardly and terminating at on openingin theouter 'end thereof, a `hinge lug on the top of the box'a hinge .pin insaid lug; a lock seal lid, comprising a frame hinged on'said pin andhaving an opening therein `correspondingin rarea with the .box opening;a gasket around the inner face l ofthe trame adapted to engage the endof .the `box-aroundsaid opening; .means for maintaining the frameintight contact with the box end; a secondhinge pin mounted on the outerface of the frame .adjacent the -top thereof; a cover plate hinged-onthesecond pi'n and adapted to overlie the frame; a` second vgasket .aroundthe inner face of-the-.cover.plate `projecting beyond said inner faceand adapted to contact the outer face of theframe; a cam mounted on theframe projecti-ng outwardly ofthe hinge lug of the journal box; andresilient 'means on the cover plate yieldably Yconstantly .engaging .thecam for locking the -coverfplatein tight contact with the frame when thecover plate is closed and for holding Ithe oouerplate in opennpositionwhen the cover plate lisi-opened.

2. In a combinationassetforth in claim 1, said cam having aboretherethrough through whichV 'lthewsecond hinge pin passes andserving as-asupport for thesecond hinge pin.

3m-In a combination-as .-setforth -in claim 1, saidresilient/.maand.comprising -va base .plate secured;- to.4 the coverplate .and having a leg -portionpset trom the .-plane. of the vbase.plate convtaci'finggthevsald.-caIm-thesides of theleg portion adjacentthe cam being angedaforthe purpose tofdocally;stiffeningesame. Y

4;.;iIn-a1combination (as -set forth 1inclairn 1, said*drame-:maintaining .means comprising a downwardly 'and' inwardly`Vinclined -resilient tongue atfthe-lower .end `of the vframe yadaptedtogenter 1- thefboxA opening ==and -to contact the v inclined: bottom'wallyof `.the .box adjacent the opening, tozlrlaintam the` lower-'end-aof `the .frame in tight contact with the end of the box.

The pressure on the 5. In a combination as set `forth in claim 1, saidframe maintaining means comprising hinge eyes on the frame at oppositesides of the rst hinge lug and secured to the upper end of the frame byresilient metal straps, the eyes being normally offset from the frame ladistance less than the actual distance of the upper end of the framefrom the axis of the hinge pin, whereby the straps will be flexed whenthe hinge pin passes through the eyes, to forcibly draw the upper end oithe frame towards the box.

S. In a combination-as set forth in claim l, said frame maintainingmeans comprising hinge eyes on the frame at opposite sides of the firsthinge lug and secured to the upper end of the frame by resilient metalstraps, the eyes being normally offset from the frame a vdistance lessthan the actual distance of the upper end f the frame from the axis ofthe hinge pin, whereby the strapsv will be flexed when the hinge pinpasses through the eyes, to forcibly draw the upper end o the frametoward the box, said eyes being transversely split, and having crimpedportions at one side of the split engaging underlying annular recessesin the hinge pin.

7. In combination with a journal box or the like, having a bottom wallsloping upwardly and outwardly and terminating at an opening in theouter end'thereof, a hinge lug on the top of the box; a hinge pin insaid lug; a lock seal lid, comprising a frame hinged on said pin andhaving an opening therein corresponding in area with the box opening; agasket around the inner face of the frame adapted to engage the end ofthe box around said opening; means for maintaining the frame in tightcontact with the box end; a second hinge pin mounted on the outer faceof the frame adjacent the top thereof; a cover plate hinged on thesecond pin and adapted to overlie the frame; a second gasket around theinner face of the cover plate projecting beyond said inner face andadapted to contact the outer face of the frame; a pair of cams mountedon the frame projecting outwardly of the hinge lug Iof the journal box;rollers journaled in the outer ends of the cams; and resilient means onthe cover plate yieldably constantly engaging the cams for exertingpressure for locking the cover plate in tight contact with the framewhen the cover plate is closed and for exerting pressure for holding thecover plate in open position when the cover plate is opened, saidpressure diminishing to zero when the cover plate is approximately halfopen or half closed.

8. In a combination as set forth in claim 7, each cam having a borethrough which the second hing@r pin passes and serving as a bearing forthe second hinge pin.

9. In a combination as set forth in claim 7, said resilient meanscomprising a Y-shaped` member having a base plate secured to the coverplate and having parallel leg portions offset from the plane of the baseplate contacting the said rollers, the sides of the leg portionsadjacent the rollers being iianged for the purpose of locally stiffeningthe same.

10. In a combination as set forth in claim 7, said frame maintainingmeans comprising a downwardly and inwardly inclined resilient tongue atthe lower end of the frame adapted to enter the box opening and tocontact the inclined bottom wall of the box adjacent the opening, tomaintain the lower end of the frame in tight contact with the end of thebox.

11. Ina combination as set forth in claim 7, said frame maintainingmeans comprising hinge eyes on the frame at opposite sides of the firsthinge lug and secured to the upper end of the frame by resilient metalstraps, the eyesbeing normally offset from the frame adistance less thanthe actual distance of the upper lend of the frame from the axis of thehinge pin, whereby the straps will be flexed when the hinge pin passesthrough the eyes, to forcibly draw the upper end of the frame towardsthe box. r

12. In a combination as set forth in claim 7, said frame maintainingmeans comprising hinge eyes on the frame at opposite sides of the rsthinge lug and secured to the upper end of the frame by resilient metalstraps, the eyes being normally offset from the frame a distance lessthan the actual distance of the upper end of the frame from the axis ofthe hinge pin, whereby thejstraps will be fiexed when the hinge pinpasses through the eyes, to forcibly draw the upper end of the frametowards the box, said eyes being transversely split, and having crimpedportions at one side of the split engaging underlying annular recessesin the hinge pin.

13. A lock-seal lid, comprising a frame having hinge eyes at its upperend and having an opening therein; a gasket around the inner face of theframe, a downwardly inclined resilient tongue at the lower end of theframe; a hinge pin mounted on the outer face of the frame adjacent thetop thereof; a cover plate hinged on the said pin and adapted to overlietheframe; a second gasket around the inner face of the cover plateprojecting beyond saidw inner face and adapted to contact the outer faceof the frame; a pair of cams mounted in the frame projecting outwardlyof the hinge pin, rollers journaled in the outer ends of the cams; andresilient means on the cover plate in tight contact with the rollerswhen the cover plate is closed and for exerting pressure for holding thecover plate in open position when the cover plate is opened, saidpressure diminishing to Zero when the cover plate is approximately *halfopen or half closed.

14. In a device as set forth in claim 13, each cam having a bore throughwhich the hinge pin passes and serving as a bearing forthe hinge pin.

15. In a device as set forth in claim 13, said resilient meanscomprising a Y-shaped member having a base plate vsecured to the coverplate and having parallel leg portions offset from the plane of the baseplate contacting the said rollers, the sides of the leg portionsadjacent the rollers being flanged for the purpose of locally stifeningthe same.

16. In a device as set forth in claim 13, said hinge eyes being securedto the upper end of the frame by resilient metal straps.

17.`In a device as set forth in claim 13,'said eyes being transverselysplit, and having crimped portions atone side of the split.

` DONALD D. BRYANT.

Bryant Sept. 6, 1949

